1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to exercise equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The lifting of a rod or bar 100 of an exercise bar assembly (FIG. 4) of one sort or another by a user against the resistance of an elastic exercise cord 20 has become an increasingly popular form of exercise.
In one prior art arrangement, the ends of the elastic cord 20 are anchored in some manner with one mid-portion run through or suitably seated upon the bar. The bar may then be tugged in a beneficial manner. The cord ends may terminate at any improvised connection system—for example, either a strap impinged in the crack of a door or in anyone of several securing mechanisms present on a wall mounted assembly. The cord ends may even have handgrips 120 connected to them. The operator may put his or her feet the handgrips to hold them and stretch the cord's mid-portion upwards by appropriate use of the bar 100. In another arrangement, the ends of the cord are securely connected to the exercise bar 100. The mid-portion of the cord may be secured at a door or wall by any means. The mid-portion of the cord may also be self-anchored by standing upon it. In either arrangement, it is quite common for the operator to grasp the opposing ends of the rod or bar 100 and raise it 100, to a point far above his or her head while stretching the cord 20. In either arrangement, the assembly becomes a convenient portable substitute for cumbersome weight lifting apparatus.
It is also known to wrap a portion of the elastic cord around the ends of the exercise bar 100 in order to shorten the cord's length. The technique could be employed in either of the two modes of exercise operation. If the cord's mid-portion, for example, were along or within the bar 100, opposing portions of the cord would be wrapped or twisted about the bar 100 ends. If cord ends are connected to the bar itself 100, cord 20 may be wrapped about the bar at its ends. The undertaking of that convenience to effectually shorten cord length came at a cost, however. Wrapping of the cord at the bar 100 ends, resulted in a torque built up or a twisting force which the operator had to resist. That unwanted force tended to diminish the ordinarily sought-after benefits from operation of an elastically anchored lifting bar 100 in either mode of exercise.
U.S. Pat. No. 437,822 (Reach) shows a tug-of-war belt about which a rope would wrap. The belt does not have a bar 100 or an elastic cord. U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,839 (Trent) shows a tugging belt with the cord ends terminating in a door crack impingement. U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,384 (Meinzinger) shows a device to grasp a fishing line. U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,964 (Walls) discloses a handle, similar to a tennis racquet or golf club, with elastic cords connected to a door jam. The operator was to stretch the elastics by moving the handle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,835 (Hinds, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,610 (Hinds) show an exercise bar 20 featuring means to effectually shorten a cable 24 by conveniently wrapping opposing sections of the cable around the end of bar 20. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,610, pins 92, 93 are provided to move with holes 94–95 to effect joining of opposing sections 90, 91 of the bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,171 (Oesau) discloses separate chains 14, 16 in lieu of a continuous elastic cord anchored to the anchor bar 12 that the operator stood upon. U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,781 (Vargo) featured a bar 9, in the manner considered here, in which the inextensible cord 17 was anchored into a platform 1 upon which the operator stood. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,015 (Perrin), the cord 25 ends are fastened by interweaving them through holes 21 drilled in the extension or bar 20 so that the operator could exercise by standing upon the cord's mid-portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,265 (Wiede, et al.) featured a hollow bar 13 with which connection was accomplished by running the cord 11 ends longitudinally in opposition through passages 15 within the bar 100. Again, the operator stood upon the cord's mid-portion during exercise.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,867 (Hinds) featured an exercise bar 17 with a cord 11 anchored to the ends of the bar 17. Bar 17 was formed in halves joined by a suitable locking mechanism (col. 2, line 65). The bar 17 included a groove 19 along its length for the cable 11. At the ends of the bar 17 are lugs 24 for wrapping the cable 11.
In the '867 Hinds patent, a pair of stirrups 12 are placed within receptacles 30. This arrangement was bulky and the stirrups could be oriented only in a direction transverse to the bar 17 because of the interfering presence of lugs 24.
It would be highly useful to have with us a connector which is not limited in orientation but which could be emplaced in any radial position within a bar end socket regardless of the presence of cord enwrapment pegs.